From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 6:51 AM
To: ron@oklahomafarmreport.com
Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
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Oklahoma's latest farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON for Thursday October 30, 2008!
A service of Johnston Enterprises, National Livestock Credit and American Farmers & Ranchers!
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-- A Renewed Emphasis on Water Development Needed for Western Oklahoma Agriculture
-- NCBA Endorses None of the Above
-- USDA Announces Early Details of their Annual Outlook Seminar
-- Only ONE Oklahoma Livestock Auctioneer Advances Out of the Texhoma Quarterfinals of the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship
-- OSU Meat Science Student Carrie Highfill Receives Pork Industry Scholarship
-- OCA Planning Fall Cattle Drive Next Friday in El Reno
-- The Animal Agriculture Alliance Worried About Prop 2 in California
-- On the Market Front- Wheat Soars and Cash Cattle Gain a Buck

Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update- click here to go to their AFR web site to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

We are also pleased to have as a regular sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to have served agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website!
And we are proud to have National Livestock Credit Corporation as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. National Livestock Credit Corporation works diligently to provide unsurpassed service to their customers in the area of livestock financing. Check out the National Livestock Family of Services website by clicking here.

If you have received this by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.


A Renewed Emphasis on Water Development Needed for Western Oklahoma Agriculture
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Western Oklahoma needs more water development in the future- or the supplies that now are used by agriculture will likely be in demand by water users in the years to come. That's the opinion of Tom Buchanan, the Irrigation Manager for the Altus-Lugert Irrigation District as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. We talked with Tom at this week's Governor's Conference on Water.

Buchanan says that water development in the past in the western areas of the state have provided vital water supplies to agriculture in the region- and that has allowed agriculture to prosper. However, he believes that water development has been allowed to lag in recent years- and that could mean trouble for production agriculture as the state's population grows and water demands from urban areas increase. Buchanan adds that if agriculture can have available the water to increase productivity- it will prosper and that is good for Oklahoma's economy in general.

A good example of why water means so much to Oklahoma farmers is the 2008 Oklahoma cotton crop. Buchanan says that we had ample water to apply to this year's crop- and that we have significant acreage this fall that could wind up being above three bales to the acre.
You can hear our conversation with Tom Buchanan by going to our story on the website- the link is below.

Click here to get a western Oklahoma perspective on water priorities in that part of the state with Tom Buchanan


NCBA Endorses None of the Above
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The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has returned to a traditional stance of neutrality for the Presidential election that will be held next Tuesday. In 2004, they endorsed George W. Bush in his re-election bid- the first time in the 100 year history of the NCBA and its predecessor organizations that they had taken sides in who will be leader of the free world.

NCBA's Chief Executive Officer, Terry Stokes, told reporters the group's members had decided, with Congress in Democratic hands, it would be better to take a bi-partisan approach even though Republican John McCain's positions are much more in line with NCBA's policies than Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The head of the Washington office for NCBA, Burton Eller, adds that the organization believes that NCBA's views will be listened to if Obama wins the White House. And Jeff Eisenberg, the NCBA's Director of Public Issues, claims that Obama's camp has promised the Democratic hopeful will make all decisions on regulations on science.

Burton Eller does have one final "to do" item for the Bush Administration- telling reporters yesterday that it would really be helpful if Secretary Ed Schafer would finalize the rules on COOL before the Bush Administration's second term is up. Otherwise, Burton says that it will take a year for the rules to be finalized as it will take time for the new administration to get people in place to handle that job.

Our friends at Agri-Pulse have more on the story to not endorse a Presidential candidate- and you can click here to read their take.


USDA Announces Early Details of their Annual Outlook Seminar
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The 85th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum will be held February 26-27, 2009 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Tilled: "Global Agriculture and Rural America in Transition," the forum's keynote address will be given by whoever the new Secretary of Agriculture will be- assuming that he or she have been confirmed by that date. And, the current administration has left open a slot for an additional "distinguished" guest speaker that no doubt be decided on by the new administration.

USDA's Chief Economist Joseph Glauber will deliver the domestic agricultural economic outlook. The forum's traditional supply and demand outlooks will focus on the major commodities and the National Agriculture Statistics Service will discuss the results of a newly released Census of Agriculture.

Commodity and food prices, renewable energy, rural America, scientific advances, and global policy and trade issues will be featured in the breakout sessions. Session topics include animal and human health issues, multi-lateral negotiations, transportation, and markets for environmental services, conservation, and the future of bees as pollinators in America.

Click here for more info on the 2009 Ag Outlook Conference


Only ONE Oklahoma Livestock Auctioneer Advances Out of the Texhoma Quarterfinals of the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship
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Kevin Magby, who calls Atoka, Oklahoma home, was the only Oklahoman out of the eight competing that was able to advance to the finals of the WLAC next June in Minnesota. The Livestock Auctioneer Contest held in Texhoma yesterday featured 22 contestants from a half dozen states.

Kansan Lynn Langvardt, Wakefield, won today's second quarterfinal qualifying contest for the 2009 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. The Texhoma reserve champion, from a field of 22 contestants, was Charly Cummings, Yates Center, Kan., and the runner-up champion was Billy Younkin, Cecil, Ala.

The three winners, and the next five highest-scoring contestants, qualify for next June's WLAC, to be held at Fergus Falls Livestock Auction Market, Fergus Falls, Minn. Those five contestants, in alphabetical order, are Shannon Davis, Yantis; Texas; Kevin Magby, Atoka, Okla.; Tanner Ragan, Sulphur Springs, Texas; Don Rodgers, Bakersfield, Calif.; and Gabe Spikes, Bowie, Texas.


OSU Meat Science Student Carrie Highfill Receives Pork Industry Scholarship
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The Pork Checkoff, Pioneer Hi-Bred and PIC will award 19 scholarships to college students around the United States as part of their strategy to develop the pork industry's human capital for the future. Steve Weaver, president of the National Pork Board, said, - our service to producers includes ensuring there is a sustainable source of capable people ready to take on the industry's charge of producing a safe, wholesome food product in a socially responsible way. Weaver is a pork producer from California.

The 19 recipients hail from 14 different colleges and seven different swine-related fields of study. The top candidate, Hyatt Frobose, who is studying Nutrition/Bahavior at Kansas State University, will receive a 10-thousand dollars stipend and the second candidate, Carrie Highfill, who is studying Meat Science at Oklahoma State University, will receive a 5-thousand dollar scholarship sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business. The other seventeen students selected will receive 25-hundred dollars each.


OCA Planning Fall Cattle Drive Next Friday in El Reno
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It's the 10th Annual Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Fall Cattle Drive coming November 7, beginning at 1 PM, OKC West in El Reno. AJ Smith of the OCA says that the offering will include over 400 Spring Calving Bred Heifers, 135 Spring Calving Bred Cows and 25 Fall Calving Pairs.

The day will start at 10 AM with a quarterly board meeting of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, followed by a Rib-eye dinner being sold by the Oklahoma Cattle Women- and the sale following that at 1 PM.

We have details of the OCA Fall Cattle Drive on our Calendar page- and the link to that is below.

Click here for more on the 10th Annual OCA Fall Cattle Drive at OKC West in El Reno


The Animal Agriculture Alliance Worried About Prop 2 in California
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The Animal Agriculture Alliance is urging California voters to Vote NO on California Proposition 2, the standards for Confining Animals Initiative that is up for a vote on the November 4 California state ballot. The Alliance indicated its belief that Prop 2 would have possible negative consequences to animal welfare that will be hard to correct. The Alliance also cited among its reasons for opposing the measure higher rates of death in non-cage systems, increased rates of smothering, increased incidences of aggression and much more.

The Alliance joins a list of groups that oppose the measure including the American Veterinary Medical Association, California Restaurant Association, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Orange County Taxpayers Association, Orange County Business Council, California Alliance for Consumer Protection, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, California State Conference of the NAACP, Congress of California Seniors, California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, and the California Retailers Association among many others.

Animal Agriculture has been very concerned about this latest push by the anti- animal agriculture groups that would mandate huge restrictions on the chicken industry- with fallout for the rest of animal agriculture not far behind. It's not a bad idea, even tho none of you that are reading this live in California, to bone up on this ballot initiative and the ramifications that could result if HSUS and others have their way in the vote on Tuesday. We have a link to our website and the release offered by the Animal Ag Alliance on the subject. It offers a lot of info and additional resources on this important animal welfare battle happening on the West Coast.

Click here for more on Prop 2 that is on the California Ballot on Tuesday.


Our thanks to National Livestock Credit, American Farmers & Ranchers and Johnston Enterprises for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked at the top of the email- check them out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis!

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com


On the Market Front- Wheat Soars and Cash Cattle Gain a Buck
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At one point midday yesterday- soybeans, corn and wheat all were limit up at the Chicago Board of Trade- and that was the case with KC Wheat to boot. Corn finished limit up, while KC Wheat settled 44 cents higher- just under the $6 mark, basis the December contract. Early this morning on the Electronic trade- KC wheat is up another 14 cents per bushel. The cut in Interest rates, a weaker dollar and a technical bounce all helped wheat and the other grains have a very good day. Click here to review where all the futures are right now on our futures page that KIS Futures provides us on WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com.
Meanwhile, we saw cash cattle trade a dollar better than last week- with 30,062 head of cattle trading at $92 in the Texas Cattle Feeders trade region- TCFA adds that some 1700 topped the trade at $92.50. You can see all of their numbers by clicking on the link we have at the bottom of our regular market links- just down a bit further on this email.

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- One Pager From Country Hedging- looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges and the why of that day's market.

Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture.
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.



God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
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phone: 405-473-6144
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